# Stand Up Comics and Cancel Culture **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 4, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271 "2020-08-04T19:09:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/81 "2020-08-07T14:40:32Z")
How was the Jim Jeffries special on Netflix? Every clip I’ve seen of that guy is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/82 "2020-08-07T14:55:50Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I would _love_ to be “canceled” like that. I don’t quite understand this argument. He’s rich so, so what if society crucifies him for being a raging homophobe for a 10 year old tweet.? He’ll be fine and we can feel good about ourselves for fighting homophobia? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/83 "2020-08-07T15:04:17Z")
It’s not that he’s rich, it’s that he’s still getting tons of work – movies, stand up, etc. He lost one gig, but it didn’t seem to negatively affect his career at all. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/84 "2020-08-07T15:09:43Z")
the point is that “cancel culture” is the notion that anything you’ve ever done, ever- even a dumb or ignorant tweet from years ago- is grounds for having you silenced forever. or until it’s agreed upon that you’ve “atoned” for your transgression to people’s satisfaction. Louis CK? Yeah, that guy should have gone away for a while, at least a hell of a lot longer than he did. But you want to rail at someone for a decade old tweet and get them fired from a gig? Go find something useful to do instead of recreational outrage. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/85 "2020-08-07T15:13:05Z")
Ten years ago?? Do you think homophobia was OK ten years ago? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/86 "2020-08-07T15:15:04Z")
no. Do you think it should make someone unemployable forever? ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/87 "2020-08-07T15:17:31Z")
Eh, Jeffries is okay. He’s been better IMO. I like Chappelle, Jimmy Carr, Anthony Jeselnik. Louis CK (I know he’s a bad human but he’s hilarious). Common thread is they’re singularly not afraid to be offensive, though I realize they’re not everybody’s cup of tea. Then there’s a shitload of filler comics on Netflix that I’d maybe watch if I’m bored. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/88 "2020-08-07T15:19:53Z")
Who are you talking about? Kevin Hart is not unemployed – he’s the one who lost a gig for a 10-year-old tweet. @Ashtura, when was this golden age when all the stand-up comics were excellent? They were always hit and miss. I think you’re looking back with rose-colored glasses. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/89 "2020-08-07T15:23:18Z")
I don’t see that society crucified him at all. Crucifixion is usually a bit more painful than having to cash 8 figure checks. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/90 "2020-08-07T15:24:32Z")
Assuming you are talking about Hart here, he had the option of apologizing for those tweets, and doing the awards show. He chose not to. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/91 "2020-08-07T15:26:20Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Louis CK (I know he’s a bad human but he’s hilarious). I never thought of Louis CK as a bad human. I always thought of him as an extremely mentally unwell person whose coping mechanism was to air his problems in public, rather than to seek professional help. That we laughed at him was a reflection on us, not on him. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/92 "2020-08-07T15:30:29Z")
I’m not sure there was ever a golden age. But I think there’s been a dialing back of edginess for the common comedian (they’re not famous enough to take chances). This doesn’t mean you might not get a woman whose whole schtick is to talk about how big of a slut she is (their words, not mine), but honestly that got tiresome a while back. Sarah Silverman’s pretty good and doesn’t rely on that so much. I also think there’s been a drift to be more witty than funny. More worthy of a polite clap than gut busting laughs. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/93 "2020-08-07T15:40:30Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > But I think there’s been a dialing back of edginess for the common comedian Jim Jefferies talks about that in his “This Is Me Now” tour currently on Netflix. That he doesn’t do the jokes he used to do because it’s a different time now. Then he clarifies that he still does them but differently and not to the same extent. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/94 "2020-08-07T15:44:36Z")
And that’s why I don’t think he’s as good as he used to be. If you have to explain and contextualize the joke to lower offense, it’s not going to be as funny (to me). It almost comes off as apologetic. Either do the joke or don’t. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/95 "2020-08-07T15:48:51Z")
And that is reflected in the current tour. Still good, but not as angry and edgy as it used to be. A lot of that has to do with us becoming accustomed to his style of comedy and therefore somewhat less surprised by it. A lot has to do with him becoming older, less angry and more sober. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/96 "2020-08-07T15:49:26Z")
The only comedian I can recall falling completely out of favor for a while (who hadn’t committed an actual crime) was Michael Richards after his racist rant in 2006. And even he eventually began working again (including parodying the incident later). > [@Pantastic](#): > > Note that the Simpsons episode where Krusty does an offensive “Ching Chong Chinaman” stereotype doesn’t fall into that trap, because the episode quickly calls out that what Krusty is doing is offensive and uses it to show how out of touch he is. Weirdly I saw a clown at a circus do an actual “Ching Chong Chinaman” comedy bit about four years ago. It was extremely awkward. (The guy was a helluva juggler though.) > [@QuickSilver](#): > > You can give [Joe Lycett](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWjdZYKf3ts) a stern talking to. I think you mean “[Hugo Boss](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51703859)”. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/97 "2020-08-07T15:50:35Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I think you mean “[Hugo Boss](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51703859)”. Yeah, read about that too. Good on him. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/98 "2020-08-07T16:28:33Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > no. > > Do you think it should make someone unemployable forever? BTW, on this, Louis CK was forcing women to watch him masturbate or risk their careers, and he’s still working, so I honestly don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. To answer your question directly, no, I don’t think someone should be forever unemployed for a tweet from a decade ago. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/99 "2020-08-07T17:04:01Z")
> [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > Is this funny? > > What has 4 legs and goes “HO DI DO HO DI DO”? > > Two Americans of African Ancestry whose ancestors were forcibly transported to the Americas as slaves, and endured centuries of racism, in all manner of life including education, and thus developed their own dialect of American English, as other ethnic groups have…running for the elevator? Right. To think that the original joke is funny, you have to protect yourself from all the context of the lives of Black people. That’s what makes it racist. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271/100 "2020-08-07T17:07:03Z")
> [@PlaceboTarget](#): > > > [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > > > it was two tired > > It’s not 100% innocuous. The guy in this video falls over and he is “two tired” (wearing glasses): > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWBJMhif97Q](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWBJMhif97Q) > > He was so popular after this plunge that he became Romania’s Prime Minister. 😲 > > (The heading reads: Emil Boc falls live.) Was that funny? It looked quite painful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-and-cancel-culture/917271.md?page=6)